the first among us (a RWBY fanfic)
by sonofcinder
Summary: Before the many came the few. before the common, the uncommon. the things we put so much hope in were once considered evil, grimm magic, punishable by death. follow the story of the first semblance users, Alec, Lyndsey, Isaac and Nicole and their hope to unify all of Remnant against one common enemy, the Grimm.
1. Chapter 1

_Before the many, there came the few, before the common, there came the rare. A group that we rely on for the very basis of our existence was once seen as a useless material._

The bell rang, Alec Gundam looked up from his book as the person walked in, escaping the bitter mantle cold. The silver eyed boy stood.

"Welcome," he said, a smile stretched across his face. The man nodded and looked around the lobby.

"Do you already have a room or-?" The redhead started, the man shook his head.

"Are there any openings?" he asked. The boy nodded and spun around to the shelf behind him.

"Room 53, left hall, 250 lein a night." Alec said, spinning around again with the key in his hand. The man nodded in thanks and gave the boy a small bundle of bills. Then he took the key and left.

The boy sighed and picked up his book again. Opening to the part he was at, he continued reading.

 _Dust, the most valuable substance in our world today, was found in a basic iron mine in the then kingdom of Lebark (modern day Vale). The substance was very interesting to the miners because they provided a soft glow in the dark. But that was far from their only purpose._

"Here you go kid." the man said. Lyndsy Archide looked up from her book. She was in the bakery of downtown Vale. On the counter was a apple pie, steaming from the oven's heat. The smell of apples filled the air as the blonde haired girl breathed deeply.

"Sorry it took so long." the man said. Lyndsy shook her head as she stood.

"Well worth the wait."She said, handing the man a bag of valors.

"Would you like me to box it up for you?" the man said. Lyndsy nodded and sat down as the man picked the pie back up. She picked up her book and opened it as her blue eyes scanned through the pages at a rapid pace.

 _The first person to take notice of the dust's potential was the last emperor of Lebark. The man was given a necklace made out of red dust for his birthday. Later when putting it in his chambers, he slipped and fell, dropping the gift. When it hit the floor, it exploded into a small fire._

 _And with that the true power of the "useless substance" was found._

Isaac looked up as a shadow covered his light. It was a large cloud, moving swiftly against the Vaccuan skies. The white haired boy looked around his campsite, his small tent and fire sat unmoved, though covered in sand. He looked at the map next to him and the devices on the makeshift table. He had better keep moving.

Standing, the blue shirted boy picked up his mapping tools, packing up his tent and extinguishing his fire he continued into the wild desert. Holding the book in one hand as he held his bag in his other and his collapsed tent on his back. _Soon, the substance was used for everything from heat to major war weapons, the other kingdoms began to get jealous of Lebark, why are they the only ones who got this technology. It was clear that soon, the kingdom would have to defend its precious substance._

"Nicole!" A voice called. The brown haired girl looked up from her book. Her partner was searching for her.

"Nicole Lambert, where are you? They need us in the dressing room!" Thomas was yelling. The girl's green eyes lit up with joy as she swung down from the rafters of the mistrailan theater.

"Hello, Thomas," the faunus said. The boy spun around, shocked to see his partner behind him.

"There you are, come on, we have to get ready." Nicole nodded, and followed him to the dressing room.

Parting ways, the two went into the separate rooms. Nicole's costume assistant stood, anxiously looking at the door. When she saw her, she ran right over.

"We lost a lot of time! Quickly, put on your costume," she said, handing the girl the ursa's top half.

Pulling on the clawed boots, the girl was shoved into her shirt by her assistant. Grabbing the mask, she put it on, obscuring her vision, like it always did.

"There, good, great, get out there. We'll help attach the parts as soon as that turtle of a boy gets dressed," the assistant said. The girl smiled and sat down on a hard wooden bench and opened her book again.

 _War was avoided when the nearby kingdom of Debroah (modern day mistral) also discovered dust within its mines, the kingdoms stopped thinking about war and began making weapons and other amenities with their new precious substance_

A grimm stood on a cliff overlooking a meadow of emerald green grass. It had a dress shaped body and a mushroom shaped head. Its limbs were four large black tentacles that ended in golden stingers and its face was that of a human's. Though the upper half looked like it was wearing a mask.

"A change is coming," it whispered, voice deep and smooth. "The first among the souls are soon to be released."


	2. Chapter 2

Alec stood at the breakfast line, watching the guests grab food from the long table. A small child came up to him.

"Excuse me" he said. The red haired boy crouched down to be eye to eye with the small boy.

"Yes?" he asked. The boy glanced around, then looked up.

"The table is out of pancakes, can you-" he started. Alec smiled.

"Of course," he said. He walked out of the large dining area and to the storage area. He looked up. The pancake mix was on the very top shelf. He looked around for the stepladder. It wasn't there.

"Come on, dad," he muttered to himself, as he climbed up onto the shelf and began to scale to the top. The wooden piece of furniture swayed dangerously as he climbed higher and higher. He reached out and grabbed the mix.

"Got it," he said in victory. Suddenly the shelf fell, taking the boy and all the food with it. Alec realized what was going to happen and closed his eyes, panic bubbling up inside of him. He waited for the impact.

But it never came.

Alec opened his eyes. The shelf had stopped falling. It hung at an unnatural angle in midair. Food had fallen from it, but stood still, suspended in the dark room, perfectly untouched. The boy himself floated, just feet from the hard stone ground. As he sat in shock, he was slowly lowered onto the ground.

Alec was suddenly aware of a massive headache. His brain pounded against his skull. He looked at the unnatural positions of the food and pictured in his head what it looked like before. Almost immediately, the shelf righted itself, food floated back to their shelfs and settled, the pancake mix, which was dropped in the fiasco floated right back up to the top shelf. Within seconds, the shelf was back to what it was before.

"Alec?" a voice said, the redheaded boy spun around. His mother stood in the doorway, holding the stepladder. Eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

"Mom, look at this!" he said, he pictured the pancake mix in his head and held out his arm. The said bag flew from the shelf and landed in his hand. Both him and his mother stared at it in shock.

Then alec fainted.

"I think he's waking up." a voice said, the redhead opened his eyes slowly. His parents were standing over him he was on his bed. Staring at his hands, he remembered how he had pulled the pancake mix from the ceiling.

What just happened?


	3. Chapter 3:l

Lyndsay walked down her street, the neighbors waved as she passed by. She smiled, the sun shone high in the sky. Her house was in the middle of a long row of houses that looked exactly the same, painted blue and white, it towered two stories high, the girl climbed the stairs and unlocked the door. Walking in, she slammed the door shut behind her.

There was a note on the table, next to that a plate of cookies.

" _Hey, sweetie, me and your father are at the shop, we will be home before sundown, dinner is in the oven, you can do whatever you want, as long as you're there before we get home._

 _-love you,_

 _Mom._

 _P.s: andrew is in his room, please don't bother him. Thanks._

Lindsay looked at the note twice, reading the bottom carefully, why was andrew here?

She turn and speed walked to the door, trying to be a quiet as possible. There was a sound from upstairs, the girl held her breath.

"Hello?" a voice called, lindsay hurried to the door and began to pull it open, she heard feet begin to pound their way downstairs.

"Lyndsay?" she heard her brother grunt, she pulled her door the rest of the way open and bolted, hearing her brother begin to run after her.

She raced down the street as fast as she could, panic beginning to rise up in her, she heard her brother plodding after her, calling her name. Getting closer.

Speed. Speed was the one thing she didn't have, and her emotions got in the way of the little head start she had. Soon her brothers hand grabbed hers roughly.

"Gotcha." andrew said with a cocky smirk in his voice, he spun the smaller girl around and looked her directly in the eye, seeing her panic made him laugh harder, "what's the matter is, aren't you happy to see me?"

"Let me go." lyndsay demanded, trying to suppress her wild fears, but her voice cracked and her brother grabbed her other wrist.

"I don't think so." he said, the girl could smell the alcohol in his breath. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Let me GO!" she shouted, suddenly the entire street was consumed by a fireball. And everything went black.

The fire had destroyed the entire street, and two neighboring ones were burnt to a crisp, the death count rose by the hour, and in the center of it all stood lyndsy. The flames licked at her, but didn't burn, the corpse of her brother had been obliterated. Turned to dust and shot in every direction. Tears formed in her eyes, evaporating before they could run down her face

What had just happened.


	4. Chapter 5

**im back, i should be updating these on a more regular basis now. anyways enjoy.**

Isaac moved along the desert landscape as he looked repeatedly at his map. He scanned for landmarks in the sand and kept an eye out for any Grimm that might be lurking around. As he reached the end of his map, he smiled and pulled out a blank sheet of paper. He sat on his backpack, pulled out a pen and began drawing.

He had been working on his maps for weeks, trying to chart the entirety of the lands around his home, the tent city of Vaccuo. It was a hard job, and Mistral didn't make it any easier. They had come in just months before, settling down and beginning to make demands of the kingdom. The lands they and their ally, Mantle, had occupied were a blank spot on his maps. He sighed as he thought about it, then continued drawing.

Night came fast, it always did. Isaac shivered as the temperature suddenly dropped several degrees. He kicked himself for getting so distracted, then immediately went to work setting up his tent and starting a fire. The blonde haired boy sat down slowly, rubbing his sore leg muscles, but he couldn't rest yet.

He pulled out his quiver and began placing arrows around his campsite. Taking a string, he wrapped it around the makeshift tripwire a few times, then attached the corners to his wrist. If a Grimm, or anyone else, tried to intrude, they would pull at the string and the boy would wake up. Smiling to himself, he crawled into his tent and promptly fell asleep.

He was awakened by the sound of a fire going out. Rising quickly, he pulled his wrist. The entire length of rope slid into the tent.

Someone had cut it.

Standing quickly, he grabbed his bow and arrows and rushed out of his tent. In the shadows of the night, he saw it.

The nightblade.

It stood over the still smoking embers of the fire, hideous face scrunched up into a look of twisted triumph, claws out and ready. Isaac hid behind the tent and watched as the Grimm ripped it open. He grabbed his bag out of the way, seconds before it was torn to shreds. Pulling back an arrow, he fired at the creature. The arrow soared through the dark sky, racing for its target.

It bounced off its thick skin and hit the floor.

"Well then." Isaac muttered as the creature turned around. It extended its claws and jumped for the boy. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the end to come.

But it never did.

Opening his eyes Isaac could see the Grimm swiping at him, but couldn't feel anything, his skin glowed with a blue tint and the claws bounced off of him. He looked up in shock and prepared another arrow.

The nightblade was confused as well. Why wouldn't his claws kill the human. In rage it let out a roar into the Isaac face.

And caught a arrow to the mouth.

As the creature exploded into smoke, Isaac looked around his destroyed campsite. The map he was working on was destroyed and the other maps ripped and smudged, his compass lay on the floor, spinning wildly.

It was broken.

The boy stood and looked for familiar landmarks, finding none he sat down.

He was lost


	5. Chapter5

"Good afternoon, how may I help you?" Alec asked. He wasn't focused. He couldn't be. His eyes slipped back to his hands, wondering how he had done what he did.

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked. The woman sighed.

"I said, I would like a room for four." she repeated, exasperated. Alec nodded quickly and turned around.

"You get room 407," he said, handing a key to her.

"But this key says 510," the woman said. Alec looked blankly at the key before grabbing it back.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit distracted today," he said as he handed her the right key.

"Obviously," the lady scoffed. She grabbed her children's hands and walked down the hallway.

"Everything ok, Alec?"

The redhead spun around and saw his father.

"Not exactly, dad. Am I going to get in trouble?"

"In trouble?" His father repeated. "Buddy, you are going to be fine. Just don't think about it and everything will be fine. Okay?"

"Yes, dad," Alec said. He had turned to face the door when his father spoke again.

"Why don't you help your mother cook? I got this for a bit." The boy nodded as he stood and walked towards the kitchen.

"Are you sure you are ok?" The woman asked, concerned. Lyndsy looked up suddenly, starting.

"What?" She asked. The lady sighed.

"You just came out of a fire that consumed a whole block's worth of buildings. Hundreds of people passed away in the blaze, but you came out unscathed. Sevtlo was protecting you."

"I guess," Lyndsy said. She thought suddenly of her brother. Tears formed as she pictured his face before the fire started. She broke down into hysterics.

"Oh sweetie, it's alright." the woman said. She looked around awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

"It wasn't your fault.''

If she only knew, thought Lyndsy.

Isaac wandered through the desert, looking for something, anything, that he recognised. He stared at his hands, remembering the blue haze they had emitted days before. He looked up to see a oasis. Looking at his flask, he saw that it was almost empty. He ran for the oasis and sat in the shade of a tree, refilling the bottle and taking a long drink. The oasis was a great thing because of it's reprieve from the harsh climate. But also it was a curse.

There were none of these near Vaccuo.

"Do you take passengers?" Nicole asked. The captain shook his head.

"I'm sorry, madam, cargo only."

"But this is the last ship going to Anima for the rest of the week," Nicole said, voice rising in panic

"Again, I'm sorry," the captain said. He turned and boarded the ship, leaving the green-eyed girl behind.

Nicole looked around the docks. Packing crates laid scattered along the sides of the ships, being slowly loaded into the massive crafts. Looking around, the girl saw a empty crate near the ship she had just attempted to board, jumping in she pulled the lid above her and prayed.

"Dont let anyone find me"

The grimm stood on the cliff, looking over the kingdom of vale

 _I must warn her_

With that thought he vanished into thin air.


	6. Chapter 6

The figure sails through the red and black landscape, all around him the creatures of grimm scurry around. When they see the figure, they stop and stare. Looking straight ahead. It floats towards a red and purple castle. Coming up to the gates he wrapps his tentacles around the handle and throws them open. Sailing into the large building he makes his way down the hallway and into a room.

A woman sits on a white throne. As the figure enters she looks up. Revealing a white face with blck veins scattered across it, her red eyes stare into the figures face.

"Searin, to what do i owe this pleasure?" she asks the figure stops in the center of the room as his blank face stares at the robed woman.

 _I come for the good of our people, sister_

"You always do, but anything specific, you dont just drop by for no reason."

 _The souls of the humans are being released from their shells._

The woman looks confused.

"What does that have to do with our people? The humans are no problem for us."

 _The souls relese their power, the grimm have no chance, we must change, adapt, streangthen, when this ends, some lines will be destroyed, and the survivors will be changed. To be lead by their lone ruler._

The woman stiffens, concern fills her eyes slightly.

"It is time brother?"

 _Yes. the story will continue on. But the catalyst shall occur._

With this searin turns and begins to float out, as he leaves the woman hears his voice in her head again

 _Good luck, salem, prepare yourself._

 **Sorry for the shorter chapter guys, it will be back to its regular length next time.**


	7. Chapter 7

Alec woke up to a scream, standing quickly, he slipped into his shoes and raced towards the door.

His mother was in the hallway leading to the lobby, looking at him she slammed the doors shut and locked them.

"Alec, go to your room, get dressed, and pack some things." she said, alec could hear voices on the other side of the door.

"We were informed that you have a person who practices grimm magic working here, can you please get him for us." one of the voices asked, alec turned and ran to his room.

The room was small and dark, snapping the lights on he pulls a blanket off his bed and begins piling belongings onto it. He changes into his coat and looks outside.

The wind blew some snow off the roof. Alec frowned at the thought of going out there, shaking his head he tied his blanket over his belongings and went back to his mother. She was still standing at the door.

"Go out the side door honey." she says, pointing back down the hall, "get to uncle musta in vale, he will take care of you until this blows over."

Alec stared at his mother, then wrapped his arms around her, tears streaming down his face. She smiled sadly and hugged back.

"Go, me and your father will be fine." she says, "he wanted you to have this."

She held out a dark red scarf, alec took it and wrapped it around his neck.

"I love you." his mother says, alec nods and races to the back of the inn, opening the door he goes out into the snow.

"I insist sir. i had no idea what you were talking about." alecs father says, leading them through the inn.

"Our guests are all asleep right now, and the workers are just me and my wife."

The soldiers looked around the empty hallways.

"Ok, but we are keeping our eye on you." they said, he nods as the two leave.

"Are you ok?" alecs mother asks, the father nods slowly,

"I miss him already." he says, she wraps her arms around him.

"So do I, but he will be back." she says.

"I'm sure of it."


	8. Chapter 8

"Hey!" a voice calls, nicole allowed herself one glance behind her. A man was running down the deck with a knife.

"You no good stowaway!" he calls, nicole leaps from the ship onto the deck, looking up one last time, she takes off into the small village.

Dodging around houses, she slows herself down.

"Lost him." she mutters to herself, then looks around.

"So this is sagen huh?" she says, "how, quaint."

She wanders the street, counting the money that she had thrown into a pouch before leaving

"Thirty five lein." she says. Suddenly she hears voices.

"This is our land!" one shouts, followed by a chorus of boos and jeers. Nicole jogs towards them and watches.

Three men stood in a circle around the town square, they held a flag in their hand, looking closely nicole could see the symbol f vale printed on the fabric.

"This area of sanus has been claimed by our king." one of the men says.

"Well, this town is claimed by mistral." a different person shouts, followed by cheers. The three men growled as the people began throwing stuff at them.

"Get out of our land!" the mistrailians shouted, stones started to fly towards the men, followed by wood, and rotten fruit.

Nicole shrank back. He had heard that this stuff happened but had never seen it before she was about to run when something strange happened.

It was subtle, nobody else saw it. But one of the men held up his hand slightly, suddenly the people stopped throwing stuff and began walking away

"Not worth our time!" one then called over his shoulder, the valiens sighed and began walking towards their wagon. Which was near the back of the square.

But nicole had seen it.

The man's hand had produced a yellow light when the people lost interest.

The same kind of light she had made when the vines had come.

Nicole decided to follow them.


End file.
